What does FATAL signify on a headstone?
FATAL: When I first started visiting historic graveyards, I’d see the word “fatal” on headstones and think, “How macabre!” After doing a little research, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that “fatal” is actually an acronym for “fairest among thousands, altogether lovely.” FATAL is the motto used by the Order of the Eastern Star, a fraternal order related to the Masons. The Order of the Eastern Star was originally for women only, but now allows both men and women to become members, and is open to people of all religions.
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What is the April A to Z Blog Challenge?
Each April, people from all over the world participate in the April A to Z blog challenge, and you can too. It’s a lot of fun and it’s a great way to meet other bloggers. To play along, all you do is make a blog post for each letter of the alphabet during April, then use the blog hop linky to visit as many other bloggers as you can.
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Tui Snider is an author, speaker, and photographer who specializes in North Texas travel, cemetery symbols, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction – but then, I moved to Texas!”
Snider’s best-selling books include Paranormal Texas , Understanding Cemetery Symbols, and 100 Things to Do in Dallas - Fort Worth Before You Die.
Snider has several more books in progress, and enjoys connecting with writers and readers all over the globe through social media, her newsletter and her website: TuiSnider.com.
[…] When it comes to historic cemetery symbosl, acronyms are used as a form of shorthand. There’s only so much room on a headstone, after all. (Speaking of acronyms, in an earlier post, I explained the surprisingly upbeat meaning behind the rather dire-sounding acronym, FATAL.) […]